A Peek Inside The Gate

Take away the boundaries. The age-old rules. The “we’ve always done it this way” mentality. What have you got? Basically, you have us. A talented and entrepreneurial group of people who believe there is an opportunity to tell a better story for their clients. You’ll find no sausage factory mentality of the mega-networks here. Instead, each agency retains its own personality and creative spark, but we are united as shareholders in our parent group – MSQ Partners. And in our belief that our collective talents offer a better option for clients. In short, we’re a micro-network with all of the resources of a macro-network. Minus the macro headaches.

The Leadership

Beau Fraser

President | New York

Beau spent his formative years in account management at Saatchi & Saatchi New York and later as President of renowned Boston based advertising agency Pagano Schenck & Kay. This was followed by co-founder and Managing Director of branding firm MindFull and, later Managing Director of Korey Kay & Partners. Beau co-wrote the best-selling business book, Death to All Sacred Cows, with fellow Gater, David Bernstein. He also sits on the US advertising industry self-policing board, the NARB.

David Bernstein

Chief Creative Officer | New York

During his tenure at the agency, David has won over 50 industry awards and co-wrote a best-selling business book with Beau Fraser called Death to All Sacred Cows. Prior to joining The Gate, David worked at creatively driven shops such as Ammirati & Puris, Angotti Thomas Hedge, Merkley Newman Harty and BBDO.

Awilda Charriez

Chief Financial Officer / Chief Operating Officer | New York

For almost two decades, Awilda’s love for marketing and numbers has given her a wonderful career – most recently as CFO at CMG Communications and The Vox Collective and enhanced by additional experience at McCann Torre Lazur and Y&R/Landor.

Eric van den Heuvel

Managing Director, The Gate Media | New York

Eric heads our media practice that includes agency as well as non-agency clients. Eric comes to The Gate, New York from Ogilvy & Mather followed by Margeotes, Fertitta + Partners where he started one of the first full-service interactive media groups in the advertising industry.

Tim Lindsay

Chairman | The Gate Worldwide

Tim has spent 36 years in advertising as joint managing director of BBH; managing director of Y&R London; CEO, then European President, then Worldwide President of Lowe Howard-Spink/Lowe Lintas/Lowe Worldwide; Chairman of Publicis UK and President of TBWA\UK and Ireland. Tim became CEO of D&AD, the advertising and design awards show and education charity, in September 2011 and is also non-executive chairman of advertising agency network The Gate Worldwide.

Helen Hourston

Managing Director | Edinburgh

Helen is one of the most experienced project leads in Scotland with over 22 years’ experience in the marketing communications industry. She has worked on a range of projects for many of Scotland’s largest organisations. With her multi-discipline background, Helen embraces the integration of digital activity into broader communications strategies and recognises the increasing interdependencies between traditional media channels and digital. Helen has won effectiveness awards at both the Scottish IPA Effectiveness awards and The Scottish Marketing Awards.

Adam Smith

Brand Development Director | Edinburgh

From optimising organisations through brand positionings developed in a workshop, to integrated campaigns and writing for any medium; Adam takes every project he participates in to the next level. His experience in the industry ranges from copy to creative direction and along the way he has won several global awards, had his work referenced in a book described as ‘the definitive primer for brandwriting’, created marketing for local, and FTSE 100, organisations, major charities and three governments. All the while, he remains approachable and easy going, adding creative value to both clients and the team.

Steve Hill

Creative Director | Edinburgh

Steve is a recent addition to The Gate, he brings with him his passion for helping organisations change thinking, develop new products and create new business. With over 20 years of experience across a broad range of sectors his mantra is: a strong human insight is the difference between success and failure of a campaign. His work has taken him around the world, from Florida, Miami, France, Italy and Manchester. Steve is also a judge in a number of creative awards including The Marketing Society and MAA.

Julian French

Planning Director | Edinburgh

Julian is Head of Planning at The Gate Interactive. With many years’ experience working in culture change consultancies for corporations in banking, UN agencies and European aviation, manufacturing, tech and pharma firms, he has an in-depth understanding of the strategic challenges that organisations face. As a brand planner, Julian is driven by a passion for articulating what makes people tick and how brands subsequently tell stories which appeal. He has led re-brands in a number of sectors including higher education, construction and oil & gas to name a few.

Jamie Elliott

Chief Executive Officer | London

Jamie has 18 years experience in advertising. Prior to The Gate he was CEO of MullenLowe London, Managing Director of DLKW Lowe and Deputy Managing Director of Delaney Lund Knox Warren. He started his career at Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper. He has an MBA and has mentored at the SCA, through the IPA One-to-One programme and speakers4schools.org.

Beri Cheetham

Executive Creative Director | London

Beri’s obsession with advertising began aged three and a bit when his father, a planner at Grey, first took him into a creative department. Fast forward several years and Beri has lost none of his trademark passion or enquiring mind. Nor his irreverence and ability to create cut-through work such as his highly awarded “I saw your willy” campaign for NSPCC.

Piers Pollock

Executive Director, Strategy & Planning | London

With over 20 years’ experience developing brand and communication strategies for multinational clients, Piers is insightful, incisive, passionate and results-focussed (as all good Planners should be!) Over the years, Piers has worked with Allianz Global Investors, Unilever, Close Brothers, Investec, PwC and Scottish Widows. But it’s not all pinstripe suits…outside work Piers enjoys slipping into Lycra and cycling inordinately long distances across Europe.

Peter Bennett

Executive Director, Media | London

Before joining The Gate in 2015, Peter was Managing Partner at advertising and PR agency, Havas. Today, he leads our communications planning and media buying team, helping drive The Gate’s full-service proposition. Along with a penchant for running up and down the South Downs every weekend, Peter brings years of experience in delivering effective and award-winning campaigns, across multiple sectors including gaming, cars, drink, travel and tourism.

Ed Birth

Head of Account Management | London

As Head of Account Management, Ed is responsible for maintaining a high standard of client service at The Gate. Having worked with General Motors, Zurich, National Accident Helpline and Nivea, Ed is experienced across a wide range of sectors and disciplines – from DM and CRM, to digital and ATL advertising. When not account managing, Ed enjoys a game of squash, a harder-than-average board game, or a good old-fashioned pub quiz.

Kit Altin

Chief Strategy Officer | London

Before joining The Gate, Kit was Global Planning Director and Head of Innovation at Leo Burnett, where as well as leading strategy for P&G fabric care brands worldwide, she founded Change, the Group’s agency dedicated to positive social impact. Change produced many effective and award-winning campaigns, and demonstrated the power of agile, collaborative working. This was recognised by the IPA with a “Woman of Tomorrow” award. The work Kit is most proud of of tackled the toughest challenges: from transforming how the nation felt about McDonald’s’ Olympic sponsorship (We All Make The Games, which won Gold at the Marketing Society Awards for Excellence) to changing British law in six weeks flat for the NSPCC (Flaw In The Law, which won a coveted Gold Effie). Kit is a member of D&AD’s professional training faculty, and teaches all over the world. She is also an active member of the Board of the MAA, the UK’s leading body for future-thinking communications agencies.

Tom Kao

Chief Executive Officer | Hong Kong

Tom has accumulated a wealth of experience in advertising over the Greater China region; commencing with a decade with JWT in Hong Kong, his most recent appointments were Chairman of Y&R Greater China and Deputy Chairman of BBDO Asia, until joining The Gate Worldwide as CEO Asia in July 2012. Tom has an MBA from Cambridge University.

Maggie Wong

Managing Partner | Hong Kong

Maggie has chosen advertising since day one in university. She then went on a path to immerse herself across the wide spectrum of marketing disciplines. She has spent over 15 years in the field with all-rounded experience from agency and client side, adept at multi-communication disciplines from branding, design and advertising. She has worked with agencies including Leo Burnett, JWT, Euro RSCG before joining The Gate Worldwide in 2013.